Learn + Live Letter Level 1 Book List

Foundations Unit

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to it on YouTube here)
• Telling Time with Big Mama Cat by Barry Moser and Cara Moser (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year by various authors (this one is an investment, but we will reference it throughout the year)

Apples Unit

• How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman (read it on OpenLibrary here or listen to a read aloud here)
• How do Apples Grow? by Jill McDonald
• Apple Countdown by Joan Holub

Fall Harvest Unit

• From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons (or read it on OpenLibrary here)
• From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer (or read it on OpenLibrary here)
• Hello, Harvest Moon by Ralph Fletcher

Leaves Unit

• We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Up in the Leaves by Shira Boss
• Why Do Leaves Change Colors? by Betsy Maestro (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Ancient Egypt Unit

• We’re Sailing Down the Nile by Laurie Krebs (or listen to this YouTube read aloud or read it online on OpenLibrary.org)
• Hieroglyphs by Joyce Milton
• Muti’s Necklace: The Oldest Story in the World by Louisa Hawes
• (+)Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs: A Book About Ancient Egypt by Gail Gibbons (or you can read it on OpenLibrary here)

Dinosaurs Unit

• Smithsonian Kids: Digging for Dinosaurs by Jaye Garnett
• National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine D. Hughes
• Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner
• Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones by Susan Lendroth

Clouds + Weather Unit

• Weather Words and What They Mean by Gail Gibbons (also here on OpenLibrary)
• Clouds by Anne Rockwell (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• A Party for Clouds: Thunderstorms by Belinda Jensen

Optional additional reading for preschoolers:

• Little Cloud by Eric Carle (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Neighborhood Unit

• Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Home by Carson Ellis (or listen to this read aloud)
• The Berenstain Bears Visit the Firehouse by Mike Berenstain
• Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch by Mona Kerby (read it here on OpenLibrary) OR A Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mascot by Dirk Wales

Native Peoples of North + Central America Unit

• Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard (or listen to it on YouTube here)
• SkySisters by Jan Bourdeau Waboose (or listen to it on YouTube here)
• Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith (or you can read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to it on YouTube here)

Optional additional reading:

• We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell — This is a beautiful book to start a conversation about gratefulness with your child. It is not required for this week’s lesson, but if your child is an avid reader, it is a great one for your personal library!

Five Senses Unit

• My Five Senses by Aliki (or read it on OpenLibrary or use this read aloud)

Big Feelings Unit

• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller
• Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud

Optional extra reading:

• The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee
• Talk About the Monster by Mistofer Christopher (This playful book is about a little girl who conquers her fear by facing and understanding it. She learns to describe her fear with words to begin the healing process. It teaches and encourages children to discuss their fears and feelings or anything that cause discomfort. It is ideal for kids who are experiencing health issues, a natural disaster, family trauma, or anxiety. We haven’t created any activities for this book in our unit, but it’s a great book for families to keep in their library for when the need arises.)

China Unit

• The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack (or read it here on OpenLibrary or watch this read-aloud)
• Riding on a Caravan: A Silk Road Adventure by Laurie Krebs (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• What Makes a Magnet? by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Ruby’s Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

India Unit

• Good Night India by Nitya Khemka
• Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (or listen to this read aloud)
• Priya Dreams of Marigolds & Masala by Meenal Patel (or listen to this read aloud)
• Festival of Colors by Surishtha Sehgal

Optional additional reading:

• The English Meets Urdu 3-Book Set by Benish Shah – While not required, we love the simple way these colorful, engaging board books can help teach younger learners about another common language in India, Urdu.

Outer Space Unit

• I Am Earth by James McDonald
• Smart Kids: Space: For Kids Who Really Love Space! by Sarah Powell
• The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
• Zoo in the Sky: A Book of Animal Constellations by Jacqueline Mitton

Optional additional reading:

• A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars by Seth Fishman
• There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System by Tish Rabe

Snow Unit

• Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Optional extra reading:

• A Fraction’s Goal ― Parts of a Whole by Brian P. Cleary (or read it here on GetEpic.com)

Arctic Unit

• Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow by Marianne Berkes OR Here is the Arctic Winter by Madeleine Dunphy (find it here on OpenLibrary)
• Arctic White by Danna Smith (or use the L+L read aloud!)
• The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to the L+L read aloud here!)
• (+) Oil Spill! by Melvin Berger (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Greece Unit

• If You Were Me and Lived in…Ancient Greece by Carole P. Roman
• My First Greek Myths: The Trojan Horse by Anna Goutzouri
• Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths by Marilyn Singer

Tools + Construction Unit

• Whose Tools? by Toni Buzzeo (for ages 3-4) or Busy Builders, Busy Week! by Jean Reidy (for ages 4-5)
• Pop’s Bridge by Eve Bunting (or find it here on OpenLibrary)
• Builders & Breakers by Steve Light (or you can listen our L+L read aloud here!)
• Brick by Brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield (or you can listen to our read aloud here)

Quilts Unit

• The Quilting Bee by Gail Gibbons (or you can find it here on OpenLibrary.org)
• The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston (or watch this read aloud)
• The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom by Bettye Stroud (read it here on OpenLibrary) OR Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by by Deborah Hopkinson (read it here on OpenLibrary)

Lights, Shadows + Rainbows Unit

• Light: Shadows, Mirrors, and Rainbows by Natalie Myra Rosinsky (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to this read aloud)
• Day Light, Night Light: Where Light Comes From by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to this read aloud)
• My Shadow by Robert Louise Stevenson OR Nothing Sticks Like Shadow by Ann Tompert (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Optional additional reading:

• The Dark, Dark Night by M. Christina Butler (on OpenLibrary here)
• What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Robert Bulla (on OpenLibrary here)

Rocks Unit

• Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth, and Rough by Natalie Myra Rosinsky (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Rocks Rocks Rocks by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
• A Chip Off the Old Block by Jody Jensen Shaffer

(+) Book upgrades:

• Rocks and Minerals: A gem of a book created by Basher, written by Dan Green – A mini rock encyclopedia—if your child wants to identify every rock, then you’ll need this.
• The Pebble in my Pocket by Meredith Hooper (read it here on OpenLibrary)

Rivers, Lakes + Ponds Unit

• Pond Circle by Betsy Franco (or read it online on OpenLibrary)
• (-) In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming (or read it online on OpenLibrary)
• Where the River Begins by Thomas Locker (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (or read it here on OpenLibrary or watch our read aloud here!)
• Frogs! by TIME for Kids (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• (-) Good Night Lake by Adam Gamble (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Optional additional reading:

• The Treasure Hunter’s Handbook by Liza Gardner Walsh – If your family spends a lot of time outdoors exploring streams and ponds, this is an excellent resource you will use for years. For this lesson, pages 24-34 will be most helpful. (You can also find it on OpenLibrary here!)

Insects + Spiders Unit

• Insect Detective by Steve Voake (or read it on OpenLibrary here)
• The Honeybee Man by Lela Nargi or The Bee Man by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis (or read it on OpenLibrary here)
• My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis (A Nature Diary) by Paul Miesel (or listen to this read aloud on YouTube)
• I Am Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton (or listen to this read aloud on YouTube)
• (+) optional upgrade: The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles Micucci (or read it on OpenLibrary here)

Optional chapter book:

• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

Spring Unit

• The Reason for the Seasons by Ellie Peterson OR The Reason for the Seasons by Gail Gibbons (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• We are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines
• Are you a Ladybug? By Deborah Short (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Flowers Unit

• What’s Inside a Flower? And Other Questions About Science and Nature by Rachel Ignotofsky
• The Flower Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Birds Unit

• Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward (or watch our read aloud here!)
• The Emperor’s Egg by Martin Jenkins OR The Little Penguin by A.J. Wood (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• The Big Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer
• Every Little Thing: Based on the song ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley (or you can watch this musical read aloud here)

Optional chapter book:

• Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

Castles Unit

• See Inside Castles by Katie Daynes OR Castles – Usborne Beginners by Stephanie Turnbull (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• (+) The Usborne Book of Castles by Lesley Sims (If you plan to homeschool in the future or have a child who really loves Medieval Times, we highly recommend this book for your home library! You can also read it here on OpenLibrary.)
• Who Wants to be a Princess? What it was Really Like to be a Medieval Princess by Bridget Heos (or listen to the L+L read aloud here!)

France Unit

• The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Goodnight Paris by Adam Gamble
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Henri’s Scissors by Jeannette Winter (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Butterflies + Migration Unit

• A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• When Butterflies Cross the Sky: The Monarch Butterfly Migration by Sharon Katz Cooper (or listen to this read aloud)
• I Want to Fly Away! Animal Migration by Children’s Zoology Books
• The Bug Girl: Maria Merian’s Scientific Vision by Sarah Glenn Marsh (or listen to this read aloud)
• (-) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carl (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Savanna + Safari Unit

• The Tree of Life: The World of the African Baobab by Barbara Bash (or read it online at OpenLibrary)
• Sounds of the Savanna by Terry Catasus Jennings (or read it here on OpenLibrary—it says it’s in Spanish, but it is actually in English)
• We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania by Laurie Krebs and Julia Cairns (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to this read aloud)
• Anna & Samia: The True Story of Saving a Black Rhino by Paul Meisel (or listen to this read aloud)
• Hippos Are Huge by Jonathan London (or listen to this read aloud)

Animal Care Unit

• Caring for Your Pets: A Book About Veterinarians by Ann Owen (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Doctor Nice by Valeri Gorbachev (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Pet This Book by Jessica Young and Daniel Wiseman
• Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes (or listen to this read aloud)
• Don’t Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton (or listen to this read aloud)
• The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca (or listen to this read aloud)

Up in the Air Unit

• Airplanes: Soaring! Diving! Turning! by Patricia Hubbell (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson (or listen to this read aloud)
• Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman (or read it here on OpenLibrary)

Optional additional reading (especially if your child *loves* paper airplanes):

• Whoosh! Easy Paper Airplanes for Kids: Color, Fold and Fly! by Amy Naylor

Forest Unit

• The Things That I Love About Trees by Chris Butterworth (or listen to this read aloud)
• Smart Kids: Rainforest by Steve Parker (or you can use any similar book about the rainforest from your local library)
• Over and Under the Rainforest by Kate Messner (or listen to this read aloud from the author)
• The Umbrella by Jan Brett (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel

Optional chapter book: 

• The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (or listen to this read aloud by Jim Weiss)

Japan Unit

• My First Book of Japanese Words – An ABC Rhyming book by Michelle Haney Brown (or listen to this YouTube read aloud)
• Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki (or listen to this YouTube read aloud)
• Wabi Sabi Mark Reibstein and Ed Young (also available on OpenLibrary)
• The Paper Crane by Molly Bang (also available on OpenLibrary)
• Three Samurai Cats : A Story from Japan by Eric A. Kimmel (also available on OpenLibrary)

Optional additional reading:

• Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories – This book doesn’t directly tie in to any of our activities, but it is an excellent example of a living book that can help to add more color, authenticity, and depth to a Japan unit study. Try reading for bedtime or read aloud this week.

Ocean Unit

• Ocean! Waves for All by Stacy McAnulty (or listen to this read aloud from the author)
• Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to this read aloud)
• Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to this read aloud)
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. (or read it here on OpenLibrary or listen to this read aloud)

Dance (Party!) Unit

• Cock-a-doodle Dance! By Christine Tricarico (or you can listen to our read aloud or read it here on OpenLibrary)
• Bunheads by Misty Copeland (or listen to this read aloud by the author)
• Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning (or listen to this read aloud)
• Degas and the Little Dancer by Laurence Anholt (or listen to this read aloud)
• Feel the Beat by Marilyn Singer (This book comes with a CD that makes it really come to life! Listen to this read aloud for a taste of how this book could be read.)